Measurement and Outcomes of Identity Communication in Virtual Teams

Virtual teams play an important role in the modern economy, and many organizations struggle to overcome the weaknesses inherent in technology-mediated work. Drawing from a strong empirical foundation for identity-related outcomes in non-mediated settings, we propose that perceived virtual identity communication accuracy positively impacts virtual team trust and performance. We further propose that capabilities of the communication medium can either support or hinder perceived virtual identity communication accuracy. In three studies with a cumulative sample of N=410, this research-in-progress paper reports on the first phase of a two-phase study. We develop survey scales for a medium's identity communication capabilities and users' perceived virtual identity communication accuracy, and then outline an in-progress experiment that has been pilot-tested to examine the outcomes of virtual identity communication. The conclusion of the research will make contributions to the virtual teams literature, as well as provide actionable guidelines for increasing the effectiveness of virtual teams.